Alabama Rot

Wednesday 14 March 2018

With more and more worrying and new cases reported areas around the UK, it seems Alabama Rot is on in the increase, and this is certainly a worry for many dog owners and of course our beloved furry friends.

Alabama rot is a nasty disease that damages blood vessels in the skin and kidney. It causes blood to clot in the vessels which damages the lining and the delicate tissues of the kidneys in our dogs, this causes ulcers on a dog’s skin, but sadly it causes kidney failure in the kidneys, which sadly can be fatal. Alabama rot’s full scientific name is cutaneous and renal glomerular vasculopathy (CRGV).

Although the actual cause of Alabama rot is not known, there some reports in the US suggest it is linked to the bacteria E.coli, but as yet there is no evidence for this in cases seen within the UK. The disease can affect It can affect any dog of any breed, age, or size with majority of dogs who have been treated for Alabama rot in the UK have been walked in muddy and/or woodland areas, as yet there have also been no cases in Cats or Rabbits.

Symptoms of Alabama Rot

The first signs you may notice if your dog has contracted Alabama rot are lesions or ulcers on the skin. These could appear as a patch of red skin, or as an open ulcer or sore. In many cases, the lesions will look out of the ordinary to vets.

These sores are most commonly found on a dog’s paws or lower legs, but they can also be found on a dog’s face, mouth or tongue, or on their lower body.

Signs of kidney failure include loss of appetite, tiredness and vomiting.

If your dog is showing signs of sore skin or ulcers on an area of their body that is close to the floor (and you know these have not been caused by an injury) it’s a good idea to contact your vet.

On average, dogs suffer from kidney failure about three days after lesions begin to show on the skin, however the time between sores appearing and kidney failure can be between one and 10 days.

The earlier this disease is caught and treated by a vet, the higher the dogs chances of recovery and full survival.

As mentioned previously the source of Alabama rot is unknown, there is no way of making sure you stay away from the cause – but there are things you can do to prevent your dog from being affected.

By checking your dog’s body once a day for lumps and bumps is a good habit for all dog owners to get in to, checking them regularly for the signs will help lower the risk of your dog contracting Alabama rot. Sadly there are dogs that have contracted Alabama rot in many places across the UK over the past couple of years, with cases reported in Berkshire, Cornwall, County Durham, the New Forest, Nottinghamshire, Norfolk, Surrey, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Northern Ireland, with new cases being reported a time.

The disease is not always fatal and if caught earlier the greater your dog’s chances of survival are, treated and spotted later then then the chances of survival are drastically less and to date dogs cannot be vaccinated against Alabama rot.

Please click here to check your area for Alabama Rot in the UK with thanks to Vets4Pets, so if you are in doubt then please check your area, and if think your dog(s) are displaying any of the symptoms or signs of the disease, then please seek medical advice and help from your vets.